Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Nik Turley took long road to making Pirates' Opening Day roster

What might have seemed but a footnote when the Pittsburgh Pirates finalized their Opening Day roster is actually an incredible comeback story for relief pitcher Nik Turley.

That the 30-year-old left-hander, a non-roster invitee to spring training, made the 30-man roster for Friday’s season opener at St. Louis was Turley’s reward for defying all odds not once but twice.

A 50th-round draft pick of the New York Yankees, Turley was the third-to-last player chosen in 2008. He was their minor-league pitcher of the year in 2012 only to be released two years later.

Turley bounced from the Yankees to San Francisco Giants to the Chicago White Sox to the Boston Red Sox — and a stint with the Somerset Patriots of the independent Atlantic League — before making it to the majors with the Minnesota Twins.

Turley was released after he went 0-2 with an 11.21 ERA and 2.15 WHIP over 17 2/3 innings in 10 games in 2017, and the Pirates picked him up from the Dominican League that November. Only two months later, he was suspended 80 games by MLB for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. Then Turley had Tommy John surgery.

Turley reinvented himself as a pitcher. Two years later, the 6-foot-5, 235-pound Turley pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings in spring training. That earned him an invite to training camp at PNC Park. Now, he made the expanded roster and the Pirates are hoping he provides bullpen depth.

“He’s been really impressive, both in March and now in July,” Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said. “That’s a fun conversation, to be able to tell a guy like that, who’s worked so hard to come back, that he’s made the Opening Day roster.”

ROSTER MOVES:
-Phillip Evans, Derek Holland & Nik Turley selected to the Major League Roster
-JT Brubaker, Jason Martin & Cole Tucker recalled
-JT Riddle: 10-day injured list (retro to 7/20) with Right Abdomen Strain
-Luke Maile: 60-day IL with Right Finger Fracture https://t.co/ESYjRm79vn

— Pirates (@Pirates) July 23, 2020

1. New weapons: Joe Musgrove said he has studied the Cardinals “a ton” in preparation for his Opening Day start against Jack Flaherty on Friday night at Busch Stadium.

“That’s a team in the past that I’ve had a share of struggles with,” Musgrove said. “I usually dominate ‘em for 3-4 innings and then something goes sideways, and it ends up spoiling my night.”

Musgrove is 1-6 with a 7.05 ERA and 1.49 WHIP over 37 innings in seven starts against the Cardinals. He was 0-4 with a 10.00 ERA and a 2.00 WHIP against the Cardinals last season, including three at St. Louis. He allowed eight runs on eight hits in a 17-4 loss on May 9; five runs on five hits in a 7-0 loss on July 15; and three runs on six hits in a 3-1 loss on Aug. 10.

Subtract his four starts against the Cardinals last season, and Musgrove would have finished 11-8 with a 3.79 ERA. He has refined his delivery and added a sixth pitch — a front-door two-seamer — to his repertoire since last season.

“It’s one team that I really look forward to facing this year and getting things back on track,” Musgrove said. “I feel like I’m a completely different pitcher than I was last year. I feel like I’ve got some new weapons to show ‘em. I feel strong, mentally and physically. This is an outing I’ve been looking forward to for a while, and to go up against a guy like Flaherty is going to be a fun challenge.”

What adjustments did @Pirates #OpeningDay starter @ItsbuccnJoe59 make to be ready for 2020? #MLBTonight pic.twitter.com/BYXrOxwRXq

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 21, 2020

2. Key comeback: Cherington remained hopeful closer Keone Kela, who missed the entire training camp after testing positive for covid-19, can return to the field “sooner rather than later.”

Cherington said the Pirates are helping Kela “facilitate throwing the best we can … in a safe way,” noting the right-hander has a bucket of balls and a net to practice with during quarantine.

“The good news is, it’s never been a problem motivating him to throw,” Cherington said. “He’s very good at taking care of his arm and staying in condition, so not really worried about that. But he’ll have to face hitters before he’s ready for a major league game.”

3. Beat ‘em Bucs: Cherington had an interesting take on how the Pirates are going beyond MLB protocols for covid-19 testing, noting they recently added a point-of-care testing system that allows them to do additional tests in town for quick turnarounds.

More important, the Pirates are challenging their players to treat the coronavirus like it’s their biggest opponent this season.

“We spend a lot of time talking to players individually and as a group about really competing against the virus, using the tests as a form of feedback, essentially,” Cherington said. “The more consistently we’re negative on tests, the more consistently we’re out on the field getting better and giving our team a chance to win games. Making that kind of a competition point and not just about following protocol. …

“But, by and large, I think we have confidence in the protocol that’s in place. We also know that we need to continue to stay disciplined.”

"To be home with my hometown team and to go through this with this group has been awesome."

Donny Kelly and his return to the Burgh pic.twitter.com/O7kAF0d59r

— Pirates (@Pirates) July 23, 2020

4. Clubhouse rules: After putting pitchers and position players in separate clubhouses for training camp, Pirates manager Derek Shelton said they will be allowed in the same clubhouse this season but with social distancing guidelines.

The Pirates added temporary lockers in their home clubhouse and spread out players and coaches, with bench coach Don Kelly taking a group across the hall in an auxiliary room.

“When we went to Cleveland the other night, not everybody was in the main clubhouse,” Shelton said. “It’s going to be an adjustment, and we’re going to have to continue to make that adjustment.”

Very proud to honor @nlbmprez with a tip of the cap. Shirts were a huge hit in our clubhouse with our guys. Thank to @CC_Sabathia for starting and supporting this cause. #LetsGoBucs https://t.co/UysyLz7XWV

— Derek Shelton (@derekshelton) July 23, 2020

5. Shelty’s shirts: Shelton is intent on delivering messages with his post-game wardrobe this season, sporting T-shirts that call attention to causes close to his heart.

After one exhibition game, he wore a black shirt sporting the Pirates’ modified Jolly Roger logo wearing a red bandana over his face to urge baseball fans to wear masks.

On Thursday, Shelton wore a shirt honoring the 100th anniversary of the Negro Leagues, paying tribute to the city’s deep association through the Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords. Shelton said the shirts were handed out to everyone in the clubhouse.

“I’m excited about this one,” Shelton said. “I think it’s a really cool T-shirt. I think it’s really cool to honor. If you’ve never had the opportunity to go to the Negro League Museum, you 100% should. I was fortunate a couple years ago, Mr. Kendrick gave myself and some of the coaches with the (Tampa) Rays a tour because we were there for David Price winning the pitcher of the year. It’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. It makes you step back and look at the game differently.

“I know in Pittsburgh, we had some really good Negro League teams here. Josh Gibson, probably one of the best players ever to play, played here. But if you go in the Negro League Museum, you step and you see the statues in the middle, it’ll take your breath away. It’s really cool. So this one I think is really a special one. I’m honored to wear it. And anything C.C. Sabathia is a part of I would always want to be a part of. He’s probably one of the best teammates I’ve ever been around.”

As part of the player-led social justice movement, MLB is allowing players to wear Black Lives Matters T-shirts to batting practice, patches that read, “Black Lives Matter” or “United for Change” on their sleeves and wristbands with an inverted MLB logo where the silhouetted batter is black.